A girl tormented by her past is forced to move with her adopted mother to the small town of Forks, Washington. Just like any other small town, despite the constant cover of clouds and rain, she believes this will be a normal school year for her. Tha...
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"Okay, that's enough moping," Alice announced as she appeared in the kitchen. I slowly looked up at her over my cereal I hadn't eaten, "We are preparing a wedding, Lilian. There is no sad tears in wedding preparations."
"Alice, let her heal on her own," Esme said, coming to my defense. She placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder before leaving the room. I scooped up some cereal and tilted the spoon, watching as the soggy rings fell back into the milk.
"Well, you can heal while you work. I need your help setting up tables, chairs, center pieces and name cards. Here is the placement and where everyone is sitting. Rosalie and Jasper will be helping you," Alice explained. I looked down at the paper of circles and squares. On each chair there were names elegantly written. I was seated next to Jasper. Of course Alice would place me there.
"Is there any way I can sit with the Denali coven? The only vampires I've met are you guys and the dead ones."
"That will mess with my arrangement," she whined.
"Fine," I sighed, snatching the paper from the table and heading out to where the party would be. It was already decorated, but the tables were bare. Rosalie looked up when I entered, obviously surprised to see me, "I had no choice. Alice is persistent."
"Well, distracting yourself with work will help," Rosalie replied. I walked over to the table full of flowers and I looked at the example set up. I focused on the flowers and they began floating into the vases until they were all filled and looked exactly like the example.
"Those look great, Lilian," Alice commented as she entered the room. I waved my hands over the table cloths before gesturing to the tables. The table cloths floated in the air, before each one rested on a table. The vases went next and then the name cards.
"I thought you weren't allowed to use magic. Considering what happened during the battle," Rosalie pointed out.
"Well, I feel fine. Besides, whenever I use magic I feel a bit better. Plus, I only went dark when I got hurt physically. I'm just hurt emotionally," I replied. Jasper appeared from behind the stage and my chest tightened. I turned around, focusing on making the spare flowers into something. I felt his presence beside me and my breath hitched.
"Are you okay," he asked. He was standing close enough to me that his breath tickled my ear. I wanted to lean into him, but I fought against my urges.
"I mean, as okay as can be expected after my boyfriend leaves me and my family lies about it."
"I'm here if you need someone to talk to," Jasper informed me. I turned to him, but all of my words caught in my throat as we stood chest to chest. I rested my hands on the table behind me, leaning back so I could breathe. I felt something prick my finger and I winced. I looked at my hand, finding blood pooling on the tip. One of the roses still had thorns. I felt the familiar sensation of my stomach twisting and time slowing around me, letting me know what was about to happen. I pushed Jasper away before leaving the area.
I made it to the boundary between Forks and La Push, where the treaty line was. I fell to my knees, struggling to fight against whatever was happening to me. I felt arms wrap around me and I screamed, thrashing around under them. The familiar cologne let me know it was Jasper, but his presence wasn't helping.
"Jasper, go," I screamed. I felt him trying to reach me with his powers, but it wasn't working.
"Jasper," I heard Bree call out.
"Bree, get back to the house," Jasper called back to her. I heard her footsteps near us and Jasper released me to handle her. She easily maneuvered around him and she knelt beside me.
"Lilian," she said. She grabbed my hand and I felt a shock run through my body at her touch. My stomach untwisted and I felt better. I looked at her and she gasped, "Lilian?"
"What did you do," I asked her, looking down at where her hand was on mine.
"She stopped it," Jasper answered, "I could feel that darkness in you, but when she touched you. It disappeared."
"I just wanted her to feel better."
"And I do, thank you," I assured her. Jasper helped me to my feet and Bree stood up as well, "We should see what Carlisle thinks about this."
"After I know you are okay," Jasper told me. I nodded and we headed back to the house. Rosalie took me from him, using it as an excuse to get out of work. We sat in her room watching some reality show she was interested in. After a few episodes, I needed to look at something else. I excused myself and went out to the hallway.
As I passed by a mirror in the hallway, I noticed something on my shoulder. I stepped closer, pulling my shirt completely away from my shoulder. Black veins were spread out over it and even on my back. I frowned, not liking how it looked. It had to have something to do with the darkness in me. I heard someone heading upstairs and I quickly fixed my shirt. I made sure my hair covered what was exposed.
"Lilian, what are you doing out here? You tired of Rosalie's reality show," Jasper asked. I turned around, seeing him in a suit. He looked nice. He noticed me looking, "Alice is doing fittings."
"Do I have to do that," I asked, my hand going to my shoulder.
"Yeah, I mean since Bella has decided to make you a bridesmaid as well."
"Oh."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just a little tired."
"You can hate me, you know," he said out of the blue, "I know in situations like this you choose to be hard on yourself."
"Landon left because he believed I wasn't truly happy with him. He believes what Alice believes. That you and I are destined."
"I know it is way too soon to ask for you to give me another chance, but I'm willing to wait. I have forever to wait and if that's what it takes, then that will be how long I'll wait."
"You're right. It is too soon," I sighed. Alice called Jasper's name and it was his turn to sigh, "Duty calls?"
"Yup," he chuckled before heading back down to his fitting. I waited until he was gone before heading to the room that Bree and I had been sharing. She was reading some book, completely in her own world. I went to the bed, falling into it. I watched her, not knowing how Victoria could turn someone so young. She was 10 years old. Although she was quite tall for her age, easily passing for 14 or 15, she still looked young. She must have really been in the wrong place and the wrong time for Victoria to turn her.
Whatever she did today suppressed whatever darkness was in me. Until I could figure out how to fix the issue, I was going to stay near her. She was able to get through when Jasper wasn't. I feared now that if her ability got out, that the Volturi would add her name to their list along with Alice's, Edward's and my own.
Yes, I know Bree Tanner is 16 in the books and movie, but for the purpose she is serving in this book she is going to be much younger.
